“Do not take me to the hospital. Just take me home,” Ivan groaned as his heart pounded like an erratic drum in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears as sweat beaded on his forehead.
‘Where did it go wrong? He didn't eat or drink anything, so how?’ he continued to ponder in his heart, as the car sped through the city streets and went straight to his house. All through the ride, Skylar continued to watch him in anxiety that something might go wrong on their way home, the more she mopped the sweat that beaded around his face with a towel. She wondered what had happened to him at the party while she was not there, but he wasn't in a good mood to even answer whatever questions she might have for him. Ivan's breaths came in ragged gasps under his breath, each inhale, tasting of the musky, intoxicating air around him, as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to compose himself. But all he could see were flashes of burning desire that seared themselves into his mind, as a flush of heat rose to his cheeks, a shimmering fire igniting in his body. As Skylar's soft hand grazed his skin in an attempt to check his temperature, Ivan could feel his pound of flesh harden the more, causing it to feel like he might explode soon if he didn't do something to calm himself down. ‘Shit. Was it by chance an aphrodisiac that was working in his body?’ his mind reasoned quickly. “Are you sure we don't need to go to the hospital?” Skylar looked at her boss in concern again, oblivious to what was going wrong with him, as she tried to gauge the situation if they had to go to the hospital or not. She didn't want what happened the last time he was like this to happen again, when the state of his health suddenly worsened after he refused to go to the hospital, and she had to nurse him all night. “Should we turn back?” She touched his temple softly again, wondering why he seemed to be so uncomfortable if he was not even running a fever. Quickly, Ivan grabbed her right hand firmly with his left as soon as it was about to touch his head again, “Stop. Don't!” he hurled icily, and it made her eyes widen in surprise at his sudden grouchiness. His skin had become hypersensitive. ‘Now he didn't even want her to touch him? Such a dramatic human!’ she almost scoffed in disbelief. The car pulled up right in front of his mansion as soon as it drove into his huge compound, and Ivan struggled to alight instantly after Skylar came out to open the door for him, without allowing her to touch him. “Take Skylar home,” he ordered the chauffeur, and her brows jumped in surprise to hear him give that order. He had never said that before. “Sir,” she looked into his eyes, fearing that he must be badly sick enough for him to want to hide it again. “Just go home,” he repeated and turned to leave instantly, barely walking gallantly like his usual self. “No. I cannot leave you all by yourself,” she protested, seeing how hard he was struggling to get to the front of his house himself, as if something had tied his legs in a spot. “Skylar! Go home!” Ivan commanded, feeling her presence behind him as he walked so briskly to the main door of his house, his muscles highly tensed. A chilly wind blew across the air like the Antarctic ocean was located somewhere near them, as his loud, strict voice pierced the air, running cold shivers down her spine. With that, she was supposed to know he was not joking. Suddenly, Ivan felt her small arms grab him, just as he was about to stumble, her small shoulder leaning towards him to give him support, “I will leave after I see you fine. I do not want you calling me in the middle of the night when I am already sleeping, that something is wrong with you,” She frowned stubbornly, and he almost hissed in defeat. As soon as they got into his house, he broke free from her and rushed into his bedroom, while Skylar made her way into his kitchen to get the water that he had asked for because of the sudden thirst parching his throat. Upon entering his room, Ivan yanked off his suit and shirt that was already damp with sweat in an instant, feeling the need to cool his overheated body down with whatever. More than ever, he craved an insatiable hunger that settled deep within his core, with an almost unbearable sensation that left him panting and dizzy. “Mr. Hamilton, have a glass of water,” Skylar walked into the room to stretch the water to him, and was a little taken aback that her shirtless boss was only left in his black pants, leaving her eyes to feast on his hard rock body. She wanted to know what was truly wrong with him. “You can leave now,” he breathed heavily as he drank the water in a gulp, ready to turn her out because, for some reason, his desires were starting to overpower his reasoning at the sight of her in the gorgeous dress she was donned. “Mr. Hamilton, are you sure you are okay?” She moved closer to him and rested her hand on his forehead to see if he had a fever, seeing how he was painting deeply on the spot like he was about to lose his mind. That was the straw that broke the camel's back, and Ivan couldn't handle it anymore. Her touch drove him crazy. “If I say that I am not. Would you help me?” Ivan's peering gaze bored deep into Skylar's eyes, as his strong arms suddenly grabbed her tiny waist and pulled her close, causing her heart to skip and her eyes to widen in alarm. His deep mellifluous voice resonated in her ears, echoed in her mind, and sent tremor signals down her legs. Maybe it was the shots of champagne she had taken, or the secret desire for him that had never fed too much in her mind that took over at that moment, Skylar had no idea. However, staring at his gorgeous face which was extremely close to hers, gleaming and staring at her with intense passion like he could set her ablaze with an inferno, she knew she was fucked. ‘This man was a walking temptation!’ And before she realized it, their breaths had entangled intensely in the battle of tongues, his kisses on every part of her body, sending toe and spine curling on her every nerve, relaying sensations that were tingling, stimulating, and taunting as he weightlessly lifted her, her legs straddling around his waist. In no minutes, clothes were flying at every corner of the room, with passionate bodies intertwined in the pleasures of desires, as their raspy moans filled the room like a sound of melody.“Arhhhhhhhhh!” It was the nth time Skylar had screamed her lungs out, the more she wallowed in self-memory, her body cringing at the memory of what happened with Ivan Hamilton. She didn't know whether to cry or laugh the moment she had woken up from his house in the early hours of the morning, and how she packed her load and ran out of the mansion in a frenzy, leaving him still sleeping in bed. She knew she had lost all sense of reasoning. And all day since she got home, the only thing she could do was cuss herself out and blame herself while still in pain for the damage he had done in between her legs. ‘How could she? How could she be so unprofessional and lose herself?! How could she lose herself to Ivan Hamilton of all men?! A man who could have any lady at his disposal and would not give a damn about her.’‘What if he thought she was like other girls that threw themselves at him like some cheap whore?!’ And she knew he loathed ladies without self-control. What would she do if
Waking up to an empty bed with the memories of the previous night rushing into his head as soon as he awakened, Ivan could not help but scold himself for making such a stupid mistake and for losing himself. He paced around his room restlessly as soon as he got up from his bed and put on his clothes, running a hand through his messy hair in frustration. He could not believe he had allowed himself to be so careless at the very wrong time, when he had always been so cautious of everything he did. He prided himself on great discipline and self-control, yet, he was caught in a situation that felt entirely out of his control. Ivan scratched his hair even more aggressively, his thoughts badgering his head, ‘How had he let this happen?! Skylar was his secretary, for goodness’ sake! There was nothing that should be between them more than the contractual relationship between a boss and an employee. But that was ruined already!’ “Damn it!” He cussed out loud, his voice laced with self-rep
Skylar had been sitting behind her desk and seated in her chair, her fingers drumming rhythmically on the polished wood surface, with all manner of thoughts and angst going through her mind and almost driving her crazy. It was the first time in a long while that she was sitting at her desk in the early hours of a Monday morning, and also that Ivan had gone somewhere which he termed ‘private business’ without her. She didn't know what to do at all. In her life, for the first time in a long time, she was so confused about the right step to take, even if it took only a few seconds to hand in her resignation letter to him and save herself all the awkwardness. However, that was not the main cause of her anger, which seemed to be rising by the minute. It was because Ivan mentioned those words to her like they meant nothing, and said that they should be adults about what happened between them Her fists clenched into a ball, as the repetition of his words continued stoking the flames
Seated comfortably on a leather armchair was Ivan, focused on the tablet he had buried his eyes in doing some work, while he carefully anticipated the arrival of his investigator, who had been in the room a few minutes ago. The door soon pushed open, and a man, who seemed to be in his late thirties, putting on a back bumper jacket and pants walked in with a laptop safely secured under his arm. He placed the laptop on the huge table in front of Ivan, and instantly plugged in a USB drive he had slipped out of his pocket. “Mr. Hamilton,” he began, his first finger rotating around the mouse as he made a few clicks on the laptop, “Here is the party footage you requested,” he added, as soon as a video began to play on the screen. The footage began to play, showing scenes from the launch party which was held a few nights ago, showing, from a very capturing angle, how the party started from the beginning, showing elegantly dressed guests, waiters balancing trays of champagne, and people ho
“You what?!” Amelia exclaimed incredulously after listening to what her friend just revealed, her eyes widening in stupefied shock. She couldn't believe her ears. She had just arrived a few hours ago from her last flight, and she had barely cooked herself a meal and taken a nap when Skylar walked into the house so late at night, looking heavily fatigued and disheveled. And in a few minutes after convincing her repeatedly to tell her what was wrong, Skylar had recounted everything that happened in her absence, to free herself from the suffocation that everything that had just happened in a few days was putting her through. “With Ivan Hamilton?! Are you kidding?!” Amelia, who still had not yet gotten over the revelation her friend had disclosed to her, clamped her hand over her mouth, her face contorted into a battle mix of disbelief and shock. “Do not stress yourself. It has happened and cannot be changed. That is even the least of what is bothering me now,” there was weariness
Ivan slumped back on the plush leather seat of his sleek black car, with his tie loosened off of his neck, and his normally composed demeanor was out of place. He ran a hand through his thick, dark hair as he continued to feel infuriated by nothing in particular, his anger simmering beneath the surface which he had been feeling all day.The day had been so tiresome and exhausting for him, filled with endless meetings and inspections, which was a feeling he hadn't had in a long time, even on days when he worked endlessly till midnight. He had gone to inspect his companies as usual without a heads-up, and little detail seemed to irritate him, from the poorly cleaned machine in an industry, to the unnecessary chatter of the worker in one office, to the overly enthusiastic greeting of an employee in another.He had also looked behind several times to call Skylar and ask what was next, only to realize that those who followed behind him were not her. They were not his intelligent, petite
“Hi, Mr Ivan,” Skylar's voice was a little hesitant as she spoke from the other side of the phone which had rung several times before she picked up before even hearing him speak. Her voice was calm and collected, which was a contrast to how Ivan was feeling at that moment. “Did you get my letter? I am sorry it was so sudden, and that I didn't get the chance to tell you about it or present it to you in person,” Skylar's voice was a little rushed as she spoke, and Ivan's heart was beginning to shred on the spot as soon as he heard what she first spoke about. “I could not help it because of what suddenly came up, and the fastest way to convey the information to you was to drop a letter, because I had called your phones, sent a text, and even emails, but you have not responded. Thank you for being considerate, Mr. Ivan,” Skylar continued with gratitude, her voice warm and appreciative. ‘She was going to such an extreme extent just to tell him that she was leaving?’ Ivan could not he
Skylar sat beside her mother's bed in the general ward she had been recuperating on as she gazed affectionately at her. Her eyes, which were red-rimmed as a result of her endless tears, shimmered with happiness. She was glad that, once again, her mother had fought for her life and won. It had been a crazy and unending journey for her to be in and out of the hospital.Her skin was so pale and there were so many tubes snarked around her body and connected to the beeping machine beside her, which displayed her vitals. However, she still had a smile on her face as she gazed at her daughter. “Mum,” Skylar called wearily, tears trickling down her eyes, “I am so glad you are awake,” she choked out, her voice thick with deep, vulnerable, emotions. Kate, with a weak but tender gaze, squeezed her daughter’s hand into hers, as she spoke even if it was still hard to, “I am sorry you had to go through this alone, Sky. I am so sorry I have been an inefficient mother and all I do is take money fr
With a heavy heart, Skylar sat motionless in her chair all day, her gaze fixed on the same spreadsheet she had been pretending to work on for hours, with her mind far away from what was even going on around her. She had expected to see him a few hours later, after she thought that the storm concerning his mother proposing the most ridiculous idea must have passed, because the news that the votes turned against her quickly went like wildfire in the company. She anticipated that he would come back so that she would have the chance to explain herself, but it didn't seem like it at all. He didn't return till she clocked out late at night. The emptiness in her chest grew heavier and sadness seeped into her bones as she walked out of her office, her footsteps heavy on the quiet halls of the building, like her thoughts were drowning out of the world around her. As Skylar sauntered out of the main building, the cool night air kissed her puffy cheeks, but it did little to clear the haze c
Skylar was seated behind her work desk, motionless and absent-minded, as her fingers remained limp against the keyboard. In her heart was a heaviness that she couldn't even speak of, and it ached with the pain of confrontation that she had just endured. She couldn’t focus at all. The memory of Ivan's angry face that flashed at her the moment he entered the room refused to evade her, and his accusatory words that hinted at frustration and disappointment made her heartache. Nothing even hurt more than the fact that he didn't wait to hear her explain herself. He was just mad that she had met Grayson. “I can explain what happened,” she fought with her shaky voice as she tried to explain herself, but he had been too mad to even listen. “So you have been meeting him behind my back?! Since when?! And why?! Is that why you have been giving me an attitude for almost two days now?” He raged at her with words that slammed her heart against a wall with excruciating force, as her eyes watered
A man burst through the double doors of the executive hallway, his shoes thudding against the polished marble floor as he sprinted with a desperation that was fueled by panic, his hair disheveled and dampened with sweat. He barreled into the secretary’s office after an impatient knock, as he entered with the intention of informing Skylar of what was going on, only to come in direct contact with Ivan, who was also standing in the room. His steel-blue eyes flicked up in measured curiosity as the man skidded to a halt, narrowly avoiding slamming into a sleek leather armchair, almost melting as he tried to balance himself, barely catching his breath amid the suffocating tension that settled in the air. “Sir?” the man gasped, struggling to contain both his breath, almost stuttering, “Your…mother. No. I mean,” he shook his head in an attempt to correct himself, “Mrs. Hamilton is here.” Ivan, who still had flickers of rage scribbled over his face, arched a single eyebrow, with the fainte
The restaurant they were seated in crackled with tension as Amelia's sharp gaze locked onto Carlos's, her arms crossed, and her lips pursed in a fiery scowl, “You don’t even call me anymore,” she snapped, her voice slicing through the charged air like a whip. “Is that why you asked to meet me early this morning?” Carlos stared at her in disbelief, wondering if that was all she had to say when she called and asked to see him so urgently at the restaurant that was nearest to his house. “Is that what I am saying, Carlos?! I said that you don't even talk to me anymore! You would have called if I hadn't,” her face scrunched up into a frown, unable to stand the fact that he was disregarding her concern. Carlos met her glare, his jaw tightening in repressed anger, “You said that it was what you wanted,” he countered, his tone calm but strained, as if walking a tightrope over a chasm of resentment. He couldn't even believe she would be asking him that. “You would have called regardless,”
“Why?” Her eyebrows were raised in confusion, as she wondered why he was saying that. “The public announcement will be worth more,” he told her and skipped talking about it quickly, and she nodded slowly as if absorbing in bits what he meant. “Are you okay, though? You don't sound like yourself,” Carlos observed. Skylar pressed her lips together and shut her eyes for a moment, as she smiled again, “Yeah, I am fine,” she lied, “Just... tired. You know how it is.”“I get it,” Carlos sounded so concerned, “But if you need anything, you know I am here at your beck and call. And I mean anything,” he reminded her. Skylar felt a rush of gratitude in her heart because of his unmerited kindness towards her, and she couldn't help but be emotionally thankful at the moment, as she repeated, “Thank you, Carl. Thank you so much. You have been amazing, really. As soon as I am able to, I will take you out to eat. Anywhere you want. It is going to be my treat,” she promised. Carlos chuckled again
In the silent hospital room where nothing but the rhythmic beeping of the machines that monitored her mother’s vitals, Skylar sat again beside the bed, this time properly dressed in a pale-blue disposable safety suit, with her gloved hands gently wrapped around her mother’s frail right hand. She was unable to think properly after she returned from Ivan's house and knew she wouldn't even be able to perform well if she went home immediately. Instead, she returned to the hospital, asked to see her mother again, and was granted the grace to see her properly this time. However, her thoughts were far from at ease or where she was seated, as she stared blankly at her mother's bed, her mind spinning in a relentless tide of worry and self-doubt. Amid her fear for her mother and the fear for herself, her head was blowing up with pain, and her heart was racing with so much angst.She pressed her trembling lips together, struggling to contain the storm brewing inside her, as she tried not to l
“The surgery had just ended and was successful,” the surgeon, who had just come out of the theatre room still dressed in her blue scrub, and had a nose mask hanging below her chin, told Skylar with a reassuring smile that didn't brighten her face.Instantly, the world around her paused for a millisecond as the tension that had been hanging in her body crumbled instantly, and dissipated into the air. Her legs gave way below her body, and before she knew it, she had fallen on her knees, as she felt the hard, cold floor press against her palms that rested against the floor, the weight of the news sinking into her mind. Her right hand which was trembling covered her mouth, as a stifling gasp that felt like it had been locked in her chest for hours escaped her, alongside the tears that trickled down her cheeks. ‘She was alive. Her mother was alive,’ she heaved a sigh of relief, unable to handle the excitement. “Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much,” were the few words her voice could u
“I am sorry, we cannot be together,” those heavy words hung heavily between the two standing across from one another, and the receiver, Leo, blinked hard as he stared at Kali, who had broken the news to him.“What.. What is wrong, Kali?” His lips barely found the right words to utter because his brain was barely functioning coherently. That was the last news he expected her to bring to him, just when he was planning that they would go hiking together since she liked doing that. ‘Things had been going fine between them for the past few days. What went wrong?’ His eyes took a haunted look as if awaiting an explanation from her. “Nothing is,” she looked away from him while resting her back on the railings of the rooftop recreation spot they were standing, because she said she wanted to go there when he asked what she wanted to do. “Kali, meet my eyes,” Leo stared at her, his heart wanting to reach out to her in the most intentional way, as his right hand stretched and caught hers in
Skylar made her way into the five-star restaurant, her eyes glancing briefly through the few people that were seated in the room, until they landed on Grayson, who was seated by the window, his face brightening with a warm, sweet smile the moment he raised his head. She instantly flashed a warm smile at him from where she was standing, and he rose to his feet, as a gesture to welcome her which almost melted away her initial nervousness instantly. It made Skylar's eyes almost roll in shock because she never thought she could see him smile considering their first and second encounter. “Hi, Sky,” he greeted her with a sweet smile, and politely offered her a seat across from him, “You look absolutely gorgeous,” his eyes lingered as he took in her dress, and her smile.“Hi, Gray,” she responded with a nervous smile, “You don't look bad yourself,” she finally settled into her seat. “How have you been these days?” He initiated the conversation, his eyes peering at her. “Been great,” Skyl